Mass Effect 3 - Epilogue (Indoctrination Theory)
by Chris Ryan Clark
Summary: A more fleshed-out ending, with explanations for a lot of the plot holes and theories... all written in a dramatic, narrative fashion.
1. Introduction & Author

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **This contains MAJOR SPOILERS! If you haven't finished the game, TURN BACK NOW!**

Ok, with that out of the way,

I wrote this to give myself a little more closure at the end of the trilogy, and to offer my take on the whole Literal - vs - Indoctrination Theory endings debate in a narrative fashion. So, there are 2 versions, 1 for each theory. Each is 24 typed pages worth of storyline because (a) I love Mass Effect that much, and (b) I love to write. I tried to fill in some plot holes in the earlier scenes, but if you want to just skip to the endings theory (or check out both versions), jump to Scene 6.

This is written to fit the following options; Male Shepard, with Liara as the love interest, choosing the "Red / Destroy" extended cut ending with the secret "Shepard lives" scene.

I hope you enjoy it!


	2. SCENE 1 - The Kill Code

**SCENE 1 - The Kill Code**

There was no sound when it hit us. The pulse - the stream of energy, which came to be known as the "kill code," arrived without fanfare. There was no shuddering, no sudden lurch forward or screeching halt. There was nothing at all, other than a startlingly sudden calm. For a moment, everything went perfectly black and silent. Voices returned quickly, though - too many to make sense of. All I could tell was that they were intense… and fearful. At the time, I was completely unaware of what we were experiencing - so much life in an instant… and so much death. When the pulse hit, I was largely unaware of _anything_ but the searing pain in my abdomen, and the steadily expanding dread in my heart.

 _He should be here by now_ , my thoughts repeated in a perpetual loop, delirious from a loss of blood and the confusion of the sudden darkness, which was eventually softened by the bluish glow of the emergency lights that flickered to life in the crowded med bay.

 _He would check on me. He would be here beside me. Oh,_ goddess _, he should be here by now!_ The sounds and images around me began to rock and sway like a boat at sea, growing darker and duller around the edges.

"Sh… Shep…" I fumbled awkwardly, trying to form the words in my mouth. The muscles weren't responding. "Shep," I grunted more forcefully, setting off a violent fit of gurgling coughs, so incessant that I felt as though I would drown in them. A familiar face appeared in the middle of my still-narrowing vision. Dr Chakwas. The expression she wore was hard to read - concern, frustration, determination? Perhaps all three. "Shep…pard," I finally choked out between coughing fits. "Where…"

" _Breathe_ , dear," she said, sternly, but voice wavering. The room went from swaying to a slow spin, as the sounds around me grew distant. "Braxton, get me the oxygen kit," her voice commanded sharply. "We're losing her." My body grew heavy, as though invisible hands were dragging me down through the stiff bed and into the floor. I tried to resist, but the pull was too strong. My will acquiesced as the distant voice grew more urgent. "Stay with me, Liara. Liara! Dear, stay wi…"

The voice, and the room, and my body faded into an infinite grey blur, until there was nothing. Nothing but darkness and silence.


	3. SCENE 2 - Rude Awakening

**SCENE 2 - Rude Awakening**

Confusion. That was the emotion that dominated my thoughts. Not fear, not sadness or anger… I was not coherent enough for anything but confusion. _Where am I? Am I alive? Why are the blue lights still on? Why can't I wake up?_ I was marginally aware of myself bobbing in and out of consciousness like a drowning woman, peeking above the water just long enough to catch a breath. Hours, days, weeks - the span of time could have been any of them. It was miserable, and yet… had I known what I would face upon awakening, I would have gladly stayed with the emotional opium of confusion.

Eventually, the momentary lucid spells became seconds, then minutes, until finally, I was aware. There was something over my mouth - I wasn't sure what it was, but I didn't want it there. Still confused, I lumbered a sluggish arm from my side up to my face to investigate the source of the discomfort - and immediately regretted it. I eked out a pained moan and returned my arm to my side, thudding on the bed like the limb of an Elcor as a stabbing pain erupted under my ribcage. My vocalizations must have aroused the attention of the medical staff - in short order, Dr. Chakwa's face returned to my view, eyes narrowed with furrowed brows.

"Liara… can you hear me?" She asked, her inflection shaded with concern and uncertainty.

I nodded, trying to hold eye contact. "Water," I tried to say, but my throat was so parched that no more than a whisper came out. Seeing my failed attempt to communicate, she removed the mask and leaned in closer.

"Water…" I repeated painfully, much louder this time.

"Yes, of course," she said, relief coming to her face. She left quickly, and returned with a tall, thin glass, lifting my bed into a semi-seated position. "You've lost a lot of fluids," she continued, flashing a light into my eyes as I sipped slowly. "I imagine you're going to need quite a lot to drink." She placed a hand on my abdomen, lightly at first, then with slight pressure at different points. I winced in pain. It felt like my entire midsection was one large bruise, throbbing in some areas, stinging in others. "Stitches are holding," she muttered to herself, "no signs… of infection… very good." She stood up, and for the first time, a weary smile appeared on her face. "I must say, you had me worried there for a while. I was prepping you for surgery when we lost power… had to end up doing things the old-fashioned way - no mechanical assistance."

"Surgery?" I asked, leaning up to try and have a look at the damage. It was a bad idea. The pain roared at me, and I promptly returned my back to the bed. "What…"

"Five broken ribs, two ruptured organs, and a lacerated artery. You nearly bled to death. Ensign Braxton quite literally saved your life - she held you together with her bare hands for nearly an hour while I did my best to stitch you up." She sighed, stroking her forehead. I could see the exhaustion on her face. "You know, I haven't done surgery by hand in years… I must admit, given the haze with which I recall Asari anatomy, I'm relieved things went as well as they did."

"What happened to the power?" I asked, my voice flowing more freely now that it wasn't so parched.

"I'm not quite sure yet," she said, surveying the eerily-lit room with trepidation. "Nobody is. We were hit with some kind of pulse - from the crucible, I assume - and most of our systems went offline."

"Which systems?" I replied. There was another question pushing to the surface of my mind, but I wasn't ready to face it yet. It terrified me. I felt safer asking about the ship.

"… nearly all of them," she said, her voice tinted with despair. "Navigation, propulsion, communication… and of course, the majority of my state-of-the-art medical equipment." She paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts. "And we lost EDI."

"Lost?"

"Her body in the cockpit, the servers in the A.I. core… they just… _stopped_."

"Oh my…"

"And to make matters worse, the pulse diverted our trajectory. We've been drifting off course for over a day now, at God-knows what speed. Adams and Connelly have been working 'round the clock to at least get the sub-light thrusters back online to slow us down so we don't crash into anything. It's… it's a mess."

"So, where are we now?" I asked, half-hearted. The buried question was fighting its way to the surface. I could feel my pulse increasing, a flush of weakness tingling through my muscles as I tried in vain to block it from my mind.

"Nobody knows," she sighed. "Maps are still offline. Traynor and Tali have been more focused on keeping life support running so we don't all suffocate. But the good news is, we _are_ still breathing." She grasped my hand tenderly. "Right now, I'll take any good news I can get, and hearing you speak is a _tremendous_ relief. After everyone we've lost…" She cut herself off, fighting back emotion and resuming with a forced smile. "Well, I couldn't bear to lose you, too."

 _Everyone we've lost_ …

There was no more resisting, no more distracting. I _had_ to know. I had to ask. My heart wasn't ready, but my mouth couldn't wait any longer. "Karen… where is Shepard?"

The look on her face told me, even before she could form the words. Sadness, empathy, pity, forming in her moistening eyes.

 _Oh no. Oh, goddess, please! Please no…_

"Oh my dear girl," she said with a tint of surprise, her face blurring as tears welled up in my own eyes. "You didn't hear? Of course, how _could_ you have? We tried to go back for him, we stayed 'till the _last_ moment…"

My pulse raced as I gasped for air. _No, no no! Not again! I can't take this again…_ Her words turned hollow as she continued, as if they were emanating from some etherial place, some realm that my psyche was trying to escape to. "Oh, Liara, I'm so sorry. He… he didn't make it."

I closed my eyes forcefully, pushing the emotions back under the surface as tears escaped down my cheeks. _You_ knew _this could happen_ , I told myself. _You've been here before. You promised to never let yourself go back there. Keep it together_ …

"I see," I near-whispered. "Thank you… for…" Words escaped me. I turned my head to face the wall, staring blankly at it. "I… need to be alone right now," I said in measured speech, with all the control I could muster.

"Of course," she replied with a sniffle. "I'll be with the other patients if you need anything."

I didn't want to talk to anyone, didn't want to think or feel. I didn't even want to exist. I stared at the sheet metal wall of the med bay for what felt like hours, musing over the crimson stains pooled at the top of rivets and streaking down their sides. A few streaks were the unmistakable deep purple that belonged to me. Dr. Chakwas was right - it was a miracle I was alive. Or a curse. As I lay there staring, I was unsure which it was. My labored breathing got the better of me, and I was right on the verge of sleep when Garrus's voice brought me back to consciousness.

"Liara? Chakwas said you were awake…"

I heard his footsteps approach, sensed his presence next to my bed. I didn't move.

"He's dead, Garrus," I said coldly, surprising myself. I wanted to hug him, to be excited that a dear friend had survived. I knew I should, but somehow I was incapable of it.

I felt his hand rest on my shoulder. "Hey now, we don't know that," he said defensively.

I was in no mood for hope. Hope had betrayed me too many times before. I was emotionally exhausted. I was done.

"Chakwas told me. We waited… he's…" my voice cracked, as I pushed back a sudden rush of emotion.

"We don't _know_ anything," he replied, kind but firm. "For all we know, Shepard and Anderson are standing on a Reaper corpse right now, toasting our victory with a couple of beers."

"Or crushed to death underneath one," I countered.

"Liara," he said pointedly. I turned to face him, meeting his eyes as he continued. "Which Shepard are we talking about? 'Cause the one I know has been shot, smashed, blown up, spaced… I'm not even sure he _can be_ killed."

"You saw it yourself, Garrus. Nobody made it to the beam. Nobody made it out."

He was trying to look confident, but I saw the vulnerability in his eyes. Shepard was his best friend. "I hardly even…" I continued, succumbing to the tears that refused to be contained. I could see Shepard's face so vividly in my mind, hear his final words to me. 'No matter what happens, I will always love you.' The fervency of his voice, the pain and reassurance in his eyes… it wrecked me. "I barely even got to say goodbye!" I blurted out, the words narrowly escaping my mouth ahead of an avalanche of tears. I pulled Garrus to me in a painful embrace, heaving and sobbing uncontrollably. It ached to cry, but there was no stopping it.

"I know," he said, patting my back timidly. "I know… but we can't give up hope. We _can't_."

As much as I appreciated his reassurance, I couldn't accept it. There was no hope left in me. Shepard was gone.


	4. SCENE 3 - Shipwrecked

**SCENE 3 - Shipwrecked**

Darkness.

In every direction.

Drifting in space can be very disconcerting for people who are accustomed to being in control of their environment. There is no "up" or "down," no shore on the distance, just… darkness. We tumbled helplessly through the dark void of space for a second straight day before we finally caught a break - Engineer Donnelley found a way to restore power to our long-range sensors, and using what our collective memories retained of Alliance star charts, we were finally able to determine our location.

The energy pulse that knocked out our power had pushed us far off-course, and accelerated our speed in the process. We were all acquainted with horror stories from our school days of ships which lost power and drifted out to deep space, dooming their crews to a fate of slow starvation. Fortunately, I was on a ship full of humans, who, despite their flaws, are the most resourceful - and stubborn - species I've encountered. Using short bursts from our sub-light speed thrusters, gravity from solar bodies, and some subtle manipulations of our kinetic barrier, the engineers and navigators were able to steer us toward a large, inhabitable moon, albeit even further away from the fleet's rendezvous point.

 _Reynolds 5_ was the site of an abandoned human colony, which had been scuttled and evacuated in the early days of the Reaper War. Landing was risky - if we were lucky, we'd be able to salvage the necessary materials to repair our Tantalus drive and navigational systems, and meet up with the rest of the fleet. If the colony was depleted… well, we would become marooned there for the foreseeable future. That's all assuming, by the way, that Joker could land us safely on the surface without the computer-assistance protocols which modern pilots had grown to rely on.

There was heated debate for both options, but in the end, the risk was deemed worth taking - being marooned on a deserted garden world was a preferable fate to slow starvation. As the ranking officer on board, Lieutenant-Commander Williams gave the command, and we all strapped in and said a prayer.

We narrowly coasted past the gravitational sway of the nearby gas giant, _Polonisius_ , and entered into a low, but manageable orbit around the largest of its moons, _Reynolds 5_. After scanning for remains of the colony - and a suitable landing site nearby, we risked a nerve-racking emergency descent, coming to a rocky - but successful - stop about 5 kilometers from the colony.

It was a full week after the events on earth when we prepped the scout team to map out the area, search for drinking water, and find a suitable land route to the colony. Both the Kodiaks had been lost in the London offensive, so the salvage materials would have to be carried by hand. Fortunately, humans are also hearty and willing to, "get their hands dirty," as their saying goes.

By the time the team was ready to disembark, I was desperate for a change of any kind. Against Dr. Chakwa's wishes, I forced myself up and shuffled from the crew deck to the air lock to join the scouting party. I knew I couldn't do much in my condition, but I had to get outside. The inside of the _Normandy_ had become torturous to me. Every room, every space in that craft was a trigger for memories, most of which involved Shepard. I had been mostly successful at reigning in my grief after the emotional outburst in Garrus's arms, but my will power was growing weak. I needed to escape, at least for an hour or so.

The hiss of the pressurization process had already begun when I arrived on the CIC deck, holding my ribs protectively. Moving was painful, but tolerable. Dr. Chakwas had done her job well. Garrus and Tali, were waiting by the door, joined by a half dozen of the human crew members, and Joker. _He doesn't have any more business traipsing around outside than I do_ , I thought to my self defensively, as I picked up the pace. Apparently I was wrong. Before I made it halfway past the inactive galaxy map, I was intercepted.

"Where the hell do you think _you're_ going?" Ashley asked, arms folded.

"Outside," I replied, matter-of-factly. I was in pain, grieving, and about to go "stir-crazy," as Shepard used to say. I was in no mood for an argument.

"Uh - no you're not," She retorted. "Does Chakwas even know you snuck out?"

"I am perfectly capable of a short walk."

"Liara, you almost died. You were unconscious for a day and a half. Go lay down and let us handle this."

"Ashley, please… I _need_ to get out of here," I said, more forcefully than I'd meant to. At this point the other crew members were beginning to take notice. Her tone took a more stern edge to it as the scouting party walked over.

"It's 'Commander Williams,' and the answer is no."

"With all due respect, _Commander_ , try and stop me," I replied, cold as ice. I could feel my blood pressure rising.

"A word in private, _Dr. T'Soni?_ " she said, closing the distance between us. " _Now_. Do I need to have someone escort you?"

I followed her into the darkened conference room, blood boiling. It was all I could do to keep my biotics in check. As soon as the door closed, the verbal barrage began.

"What the _hell_ is your problem, Liara?" She demanded.

"I simply want to walk outside. Is that too much to ask?" I snapped back, words dripping with sarcasm.

She exhaled sharply, hand on her hip. "I'm trying to help you. I'm _trying_ to get us the hell off this moon and back to the fleet. I'm _trying_ to keep this crew from falling apart, and in case you hadn't noticed, I'm in command now. I'd appreciate some respect."

I should have apologized and let it go, but I was past the emotional point of no return. "Believe me, commander, we're all exceedingly aware of your position."

She scoffed with a smirk of disbelief. "Ok, I'm gonna let that slide because you're grieving, and probably drugged up-"

" _Yes_ , I'm grieving," I interrupted. "Don't you understand? He's _gone_ , Ashley. He's really gone this time."

"Shepard?" She said incredulously. "You think I don't _feel_ that?"

"Well, you sure have a strange way of showing it," I half-shouted.

"What - because I'm not huddled in the corner crying?" She thundered back. "I don't have the _luxury_ of breaking down. Decisions have to be made, and I'm the one to make them."

"Oh, you make them, alright," I said through gritted teeth. I was absolutely seething. "Just doing your job, like a good little soldier."

"Dammit, Liara, _what is your problem_?"

"How could you leave him behind?" I shouted, angry tears streaking down my cheeks.

The look in her eyes changed. For a moment, she was hurt, vulnerable… but then the anger returned. "You think I _wanted_ to leave him?'

"You could've _tried_!"

"I did!" She roared. "You weren't there."

"You left him to _die_ , Ashley! Alone." I knew it was unfair, even as it came out. I hated myself for saying it, but grief was twisting me into all sorts of ugly states.

She shook her head, staring at the ground for a moment. "You think…" she began, much quieter, as if she was suppressing tears of her own. "You think you're the only one who loved him?"

Her words hung in the air for an uncomfortably long time. I was speechless. Looking at the pain in her teary eyes, I knew I had crossed the line.

"Ashley, I'm-"

"Don't be," she interrupted, putting up a strong front that I knew was a facade. "You're right. I wish I could've waited. Shepard, Anderson, that whole day… it haunts me. I… I can't sleep… but I did what I had to do. Hackett's orders were clear. Still, we waited as long as we could. We were the last ship to leave, Liara. The _last_ _one_. And yeah - you're right. It was _my_ call. Jeff couldn't do it. He would've stayed and gone down with the ship if I hadn't sent Garrus to talk him out of it… But here's the thing - if I _had_ stayed one more minute waiting for some kind of miracle, we'd all be dead. You saw what the pulse did to us at a distance - there's no way we'd survive that thing at point blank range. I couldn't do that to these people. They didn't deserve that. You and I…" she paused, searching for the words to say. "We belong on that field with him, and with Cortez, and Anderson. I get that. But we're _alive_. This is _his_ crew. This is his legacy. We're alive, and we have to keep going…"

"I'm sorry, Ashley," I repeated. "I can't imagine how difficult that decision must have been for you. I've said… _terrible_ things to you…" I wiped the tears from my eyes as she did the same. "I just… I don't know how to do this."

"I don't either," she said. "Together, I guess."

"Yes, together."


	5. SCENE 4 - Busyness

**SCENE 4 - Busyness**

A Volus proverb states that " _the surest salve for a grieving heart is busyness_." I had lived out that truth once before, and I was doing my utmost to repeat the process. When the original _Normandy_ was destroyed, and I lost Shepard the first time, work was the only thing that kept me going. I found that if I kept myself busy enough, I wouldn't have time to dwell on the past - and there was no shortage of work to be done during out stay on the _Reynolds 5_.

Ashley had been right - I was in no shape to go exploring outside. My one journey lasted about 10 minutes before the pain of moving forced me back inside. Unable to help the repair efforts physically, I poured my attention into what I did best - gathering information. After the crew returned the first time with salvage parts from the colony, we were able to work out a power bypass to get the QEC back online, and I began the laborious process of reestablishing a connection to anyone in the outside world.

It seemed that the kill code pulse had disabled or destroyed all the comm buoys in the area, which meant any traditional communication signals wouldn't reach the fleet for years, if ever. The QEC was our only hope of contact. The first few days of attempts were discouraging - nothing but static. The limits of quantum entanglement meant we had only 3 possible connections: the Alliance outpost in London, the Citadel Council Chambers, and Admiral Hackett's dreadnought, the _SSV Rainier_. Silence from those sources was understandably unsettling. Eventually, though, we had another human-ingenuity breakthrough. While the QEC was severely limited, there did seem to be variation in the static coming from the _Rainier_ … _rhythmic_ variation. After this discovery, Specialist Traynor was able to match the rhythmic pulses of static to a primitive communication method from pre-space flight earth. The message we received was repeated every 17 minutes.

REAPERS DESTROYED. RELAYS OFFLINE. ALL VESSELS RETURN TO EARTH VIA FTL ASAP.

It wasn't much, but it brought hope, and an increased earnestness to get the _Normandy_ space-worthy again. The state of the equipment in the colony was better than anticipated, and with everyone working together, we were able to prep our ship for takeoff in just under 3 weeks' time. The busyness was working. I was focused. I was numb. If only things could have stayed that way.

The night before takeoff, the crew decided to hold a memorial service to honor those who had fallen in battle, and add their names to the wall in the crew deck. Personally, I wanted nothing to do with the idea - I was actually doing alright numb and focused - but it was a time when the crew needed to stick together, so I reluctantly agreed to it.

14 placards were hand-cut and etched with care from a damaged strip of metal from the shuttle bay. 12 crew members, one for Admiral Anderson… and one for our beloved Commander. It was a tear-filled ceremony as we added crew names one by one, followed by the noble David Anderson. I was handling things just fine, until we came to the final placard. Despite my protests, the crew insisted that I be given the honor of placing Shepard's name on the wall. I could think of nothing more painful, but I agreed to do it for the sake of his memory.

My hands quivered as Engineer Adams placed the cold strip of metal on them. Pulse quickening, breath shortening. _Hurry, Liara_ , I urged myself, as I stepped toward the names of my fallen friends and crewmates. _Let's be done with this_. I closed my eyes and exhaled slowly, trying to calm my emotions. It seemed to work for the shortest of moments, until I reopened my eyes and looked down.

CDR JONATHAN SHEPARD

I ran my fingers across the letters, savoring the feeling of each peak and valley. I imagined for a moment the feeling of those same fingers caressing his stubbled face, the oddly sweet smell of his breath, those piercing eyes that held me in his magnetic sway. _How can he be gone?_ I asked myself, unaware that suppressed grief was violently rushing to the surface. My hand covered the rank, until all that was visible was "Shepard." It was more fitting that way. I wasn't saying goodbye to my _commander_ … I was saying goodbye to my lover. My friend. My bond-mate. A part of my heart died in that London street with him, a part I didn't quite know if I could live without.

I looked to my side, hands frozen. Adams nodded reassuringly. _I can't. I can't do this_ , I began thinking in a panic, as those cursed tears welled up again. I had been fighting hope for weeks, but I think somewhere deep down, it was still there. Hope that maybe Shepard made it to the collection beam unnoticed. Hope that perhaps someone found him and nursed him back to health… after all, he'd been "dead" once before, and he returned to me. This was different, though. Placing that placard made it final - at least, in my mind. I couldn't do it. I looked up, trying desperately to stifle the tears, but they refused to be held back any longer.

"I'm sorry," I said shakily, his nameplate glued to my trembling hands. "I can't…"

After a moment, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. James forced a pained smile with kindness in his eyes, as he gently took the placard from me reached toward the wall. I exhaled in slow, shaky breaths, staring intently at the floor. I didn't want to see it, but I heard the soft scrape of the metal sliding into place.

"Here's to you, Loco," he said somberly. "Best damn soldier I ever served with."

"The best man I knew," Garrus added.

I stepped back, so weak in the knees that I feared I might collapse. Traynor wrapped her arm gingerly around my waist, followed by Dr. Chakwas on the other side. They held me as the tears became sobs.

"He was the bravest of us all," Tali said next, in between sobs of her own.

"And the worst dancer," Joker chimed in. The group chuckled for a moment of levity before returning to reflective silence.

Eventually Javik spoke up. "Shepard avenged the Protheans. He avenged the people of Earth, and of Palaven, and of Thessia… he will be remembered as a great warrior."

"He'll be remembered as a great _friend_ ," Ashley said, stepping forward to run her fingers across the name, much as I had. "You did it, Commander. You beat 'em. I don't know how, but you did it, and I swear… we'll make your sacrifice count."

"Oorah!" James grunted.

"Oorah!" The crew responded.

"Goodbye, Shepard" I whispered under my breath, as the group began to disband and make preparations for our journey. "I am yours. _Forever_."


	6. SCENE 5 - The Long Road Home

**SCENE 5 - The Long Road Home**

Life has an uncanny way of forcing variety and change on you, as if it were an inescapable design that no amount of planning or striving could disrupt. All the therapeutic hustling of the crew to get the _Normandy_ spaceworthy again vanished abruptly once we escaped the atmosphere of _Reynolds 5_. There were no more supplies to find, no repairs to make. Other than the 24-hour rotation of manual control pilots, there was little more than busywork for the crew-turned-passengers aboard the ship. While we had been able to salvage some fuel from the colony, we were still left with a dangerously low supply for such a long FTL journey. Consequently, a trip that would normally take a week stretched out to 45 days, as we traveled slowly to conserve resources.

Too much free time was injurious to the collective psyche of our crew - it left everyone with nothing better to do than to ruminate over the aftermath of a costly war. Over the first few days of our voyage, the rhythmic static of the _f_ QEC expanded, adding details to the loop as they became available. "ALLIED VICTORY. REAPERS DEAD GALAXY-WIDE," one update added. "ALL KNOWN RELAYS DAMAGED," another one read, "EXTENT UNKNOWN." With each update, the galactic picture came further into focus:

QEC INTERFERENCE PERSISTING. CONTINUE MORSE CODE PROTOCOL.

CITADEL ATMOSPHERE BREACHED. NO SIGNS OF LIFE.

SURVIVORS CONFIRMED ON EARTH. THESSIA. TUCHANKA. PALAVEN UNKNOWN. SURKESH UNKNOWN. RANNOCH UNKNOWN.

ALL GETH SOLDIERS ON EARTH DEAD. NO RESPONSE FROM GETH VESSELS.

EARTH DEBRIS FIELD HAZARDOUS. APPROACH WITH EXTREME CAUTION.

There was a lot to take in, and everyone had their own grief to bear. Tali feared she'd never see Rannoch again. At 81,000 light years from Earth, FTL travel would take years - if not lifetimes. Garrus took the silence from Palaven as a sign of annihilation, including what remained of his family. Joker tried to hang onto hope for EDI's return, but all evidence pointed to a galaxy-wide extinction of synthetic life, including hers. James had nerve damage in his left arm, rendering it useless, Ashley had the impossible task of filling Shepard's shoes as Commander, and I… well, I had my desk, my blank monitors, and my one portrait. On our last shore leave at the Citadel, Shepard had convinced me to pose with him for a hand-painted portrait in our apartment living room. It was Asari art - more impressionist than photo-realistic - but with the loss of all things computational in my cabin, it was the only image of Shepard I had left.

I was in the doldrums of depression with that image in hand on the 9th day of our journey, when the melodic chirping of a door chime filled my room.

"Who is it?" I sighed, lacking the motivation to rise from my bed.

"It's Ashley," the irritated voice responded. "Let me in."

Although Commander Williams and I had settled our dispute over the scouting team incident, we were still on tenuous interpersonal terms. I was in no mood to exercise the patience and restraint to speak with her cordially.

"Can it wait?" I pleaded. "I'd really like to be alone."

"No, it can't," she replied, an odd change in tone coloring her voice. "It's about Shepard."

I was at the door in a flash, body quivering with the sudden jolt of adrenaline. Apparently I hadn't fully slain all hope at the memorial.

"This just came in over the QEC," she said the moment she entered, handing me the hand-carved message log. I hurriedly scanned to the latest entry.

SSV NORMANDY PLEASE ADVISE YOUR LOCATION. IF EDI IS OFFLINE DIVERT POWER TO LIFE SUPPORT AND REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE. HELP IS COMING.

"They still can't hear us?" I asked, startled and confused.

"No. We keep trying…"

"I don't understand… what does this have to do with Shepard?"

"I think he's alive," she said, her tone serious but enthusiastic.

"What? Why?" My mind was spinning. Nothing made sense.

"An A.I. onboard is a major breach of regulation," she replied. "No one in the Alliance brass knows about EDI. Not even Hackett. This message - it's gotta be Shepard."

"Ashley, if you're right…"

"I _know_ it, Liara. I can feel it."

I could feel it, too - that indomitable hope. Even if Jack or Jacob had survived the final battle, they were told that EDI had been removed when the _Normandy_ was refurbished for Alliance usage. Shepard was out there somewhere, looking for us.

"How soon can we get back to Earth?" I asked, as nervous excitement rushed through my body like a cool breeze.

"Already on it."


	7. SCENE 6 - Homecoming

**SCENE 6 - Homecoming**

The remainder of our journey left me an anxious, nervous mess. The QEC message never updated again, leaving us very much in the dark about the state of affairs we were returning to. Even within the Sol System, we got no response from anyone. The density of the debris field around Earth, coupled with the lingering affects of the pulse from the Crucible, had disabled all but the most rudimentary terrestrial communications. We were only able to establish contact with Alliance command after entering Earth's atmosphere.

Less than an hour later, I was "walking" as quickly as possible down the sunlit hallways of the compound. The well-meaning guard at the entrance tried to corral me with the rest of the crew, but I pushed through, leaving him to manage the others. I had traveled too far, and waited too long to let anything slow me down.

Room after room, I wound deeper into the sprawling system of brick passages, growing more anxious and frustrated with each wrong turn. I was about to retrace my steps and ask for directions, when I rounded one last corner, and the world stood still. There, at the end of the hall, was his unmistakable figure - a sight I'd dreamed of, but never expected to see again. It was Shepard.

"Liara?" His baritone voice rang out in disbelief, echoing through the hallway. It was really him. I actually hesitated for a second, my body in shock at the emotional weight of the moment.

"Shepard!" I cried out breathlessly. He limped forward, leaning on a cane for support. My body finally engaged, and I took off in a dead run, closing the distance between us in an instant. I met him with force, and sunk immediately into his arms, tears flowing in streaks of joy down my face. He pulled back after a moment, cupping my face in his hands as eyes studied me intensely. I had no words. There were none.

"I thought…" he started, his face still colored by surprise. His thumb traced the curve of my cheekbone, wiping a tear aside as I smiled uncontrollably. "I thought you were dead!" He pulled me firmly back to his chest, my head just under his neck. I had forgotten how perfectly I fit in his arms. "When the fleet lost contact with the _Normandy_ , and we got reports about the Geth…"

"I'm here," I interrupted softly, listening to his heartbeat. "I'm yours."

After a lingering moment of silence and tears, he pulled back again.

"Garrus? Tali?"

"They're fine," I replied with a sniffle, wiping my eyes again. "Ashley, James, Joker… we're all here."

"EDI?" His eyebrows pulled together in concern. I shook my head, trying to force a pained smile. He gaze fell with a dejected exhalation.

"But we're all here," I encouraged him, lifting his chin up to look directly into his eyes. "You saved us. You saved everyone."

"Not everyone…"

"There's a crowd of people just outside who feel differently," I said, wrapping my arms back around his muscular waist. "I'm sure they'd all love to see you… but I don't think I'm quite ready to share you yet."

"Well, I'm not ready to let go of you yet," he countered sweetly. "But… we might need to sit soon."

"Of course!" I replied, suddenly remembering the cane I first saw him with - which was now on the floor. "Oh, Shepard… how thoughtless of me. You're hurt. How bad is it?"

"It's probably good you didn't see me a month ago," he said with a grimace, as I helped him to a leather-bound bench down the hall. He let out a sigh of relief when he sat down. "Doctor says the pain should ease up in another month or two. I'm doing stretches to get some mobility back… but I won't be winning any races from here on out."

My countenance dropped. All this time, I had been so concerned with him living or dying, I hadn't given much consideration to his potential injuries.

"But what about you?" He continued. "When I left you with the _Normandy_ …"

"I'm fine now. But you were right to send me back. I nearly died. This pulse of energy knocked out virtually all our systems… Doctor Chakwas had to stitch me up by hand."

"The kill code," he said gravely, dipping his head. "EDI… she's gone. I had to come clean about her to the Alliance. The rest of the fleet was mostly ok, but when they you all went missing… That code didn't just kill the reapers. It killed every form of synthetic life." The remorse in his voice was heavy.

"The Geth?" I replied, suddenly grieved as I thought of Legion, and how loyal all those Geth Primes had been fighting alongside us.

"All of them," he said solemnly, his lowered head in his hands.

I stroked his back supportively. His body language gave me the impression that he was responsible for their fate - or at least, he believed he was.

"What happened," I asked.

"It's… hard to explain," he replied. Looking at me with narrowed, contemplative eyes. "You're gonna think I'm crazy."

"We've seen our share of crazy," I reassured him. "Start from the moment I last saw you…"

He recounted the dash to the collection beam, drawing within a hundred meters, Harbinger's particle beam… and then he paused and sighed.

"What?" I asked inquisitively.

"The next part… I'm not really sure about. I was concussed, delirious… and on the verge of bleeding out." I tried not to imagine him in such a state, but my mind painted the mental image. I shuddered.

"Shepard, whatever it is…"

"I communicated with them"

"Who?"

"The Reapers. And… and I think it was all in my mind."

He told me of how he remembered limping to the beam, catching up with Anderson, and facing the Illusive Man. He recounted opening the Citadel's arms, being lifted on a glowing platform to the connection point of the crucible, conversing with the Catalyst in the form of a child, and choosing to destroy the Reapers, along with all synthetic life.

"I remember it so clearly," he concluded, "but none of it adds up. Anderson never made it close to the beam. The marines that rescued me took me back to where they found me - just a few yards from where Harbinger hit me. I actually thought I had just imagined the whole thing, until a few days after I came to. Do you remember me telling you about my conversation with the Leviathan?"

"Yes," I replied slowly, "and I recall that story terrifying me."

"The thing is… it felt so much like that - or when I interfaced with the Geth consciousness. I think somehow, I was communicating with the Reaper consciousness the same way. It all had a weird feel to it, but with faces I recognized - Anderson, the Illusive Man, and that kid from Vancouver…"

"Wait - the Catalyst? Do you mean the same child you kept seeing in your dreams?"

"Yeah. The more I thought about it, there were a lot of similarities with that recurring dream. Whispers from every side, moving in slow motion, black, oily trees around me…"

"Goddess, Shepard!" I gasped, as the answer dawned on me. "They were trying to indoctrinate you."

"See - I wondered that myself," he replied, brows furrowed as he pondered the idea, "ever since I came back from the Alpha Relay. I was out cold for 48 hours, and that reaper device - Object Rho - it was there the whole time."

"That makes sense. You know, my mother mentioned voices in her head… and do you remember our conversation with the Rachni queen? She said indoctrination felt like something dark and oily in her mind."

"But it doesn't make sense," he countered. "If they'd have indoctrinated me, I would have sabotaged the mission, not destroyed them."

"But they didn't, Shepard. They didn't succeed."

"I still don't understand how the Citadel opened, though," he said, "or who sent the kill code through the Crucible."

The answer was obvious. "You did, Shepard," I said, taking his hands in mine. "The Leviathan communicated through shared consciousness… the Reapers did the same."

"Okay…"

"Shepard, connections like that work both ways. You told me you fought with the Illusive man - who told you to give into control, and Anderson - who told you to resist…"

"Right…"

"And that after Anderson… 'died,' this conversation with the Reapers began."

"Uh-huh."

"Harbinger did just enough to stop you from reaching the beam, but he didn't kill you, even though he could have. And the Reapers urged you to choose to allow your essence to merge with theirs - either by controlling them or synthesizing with them. Shepard, I think when they realized how exceptional you are, they decided to use you to evolve, rather than kill you."

"But I still don't see how that changed the Citadel."

"They were in control of the Citadel, but when your consciousness merged with theirs, you escaped their control. You remember what happened when Sovereign and Saren merged their consciousnesses, right?"

"Yeah," he said, the lights of understanding illuminating his eyes. "I killed Saren, and it affected Sovereign…"

"And when you fought off their attempt to control you, you forced their hand. _You_ influenced _them_."

"But how is that possible? No one can resist indoctrination."

"Why not?" I countered. "Do you remember the Prothean beacon on Eden Prime?"

"Of course."

"Interfacing with that should have killed you. I knew it at the time - you have a remarkably strong will. In fact… it's possible that event is what caused your mind to respond differently than they expected. Either way, you overcame it."

"I think you might be right, Liara, but I'm not sure anyone else would believe it."

"They don't have to," I said, stroking his arm. "I know you're a hero, and so does your crew."

"The crew!" He replied suddenly. "I should see them."

"You should," I agreed, bringing my forehead to meet his. "But not before you kiss me."

"I believe I can do that."

Our lips met for the first time in what felt like forever. It was warm. It was sweet. It was home.


	8. SCENE 7 - Moving On

**SCENE 7 - Moving On**

I couldn't help but watch - as mothers are prone to do - and soak in the moment. Commander Shepard, humanity's greatest warrior, savior of the galaxy… gently rocking on a porch swing, with a little blue angel cuddled up next to him. In the days after the war, Shepard and I had been blessed with 2 beautiful daughters: Eden, who was nearly 6 years old, and Anisia, who had just turned 2. They were more than just our progeny, they were an embodiment of everything we fought for and accomplished during those three terrible years fighting the Reapers. New life.

Moving on after the war was harder than any of us had expected. Though we emerged from the conflict victorious, it came at a high cost to society. With all the mass relays damaged to varying degrees, the galaxy was, for the first time in millennia, isolated into divergent groups. Envoys were sent from Earth to nearby homewards: Tuchanka, Palaven, even Thessia. Others, like Rannoch, remained a total unknown.

With the military fleets of the galaxy stranded in the Sol system, Earth rebounded more quickly than most affected worlds. Cities were rebuilt, farms resown, satellites repaired. Next was the work on the Citadel and the Charon Relay. An unfortunate side effect of the Reaper fleet suddenly dying was the damage their hulking corpses did to the structures around them. Some succumbed to Earth's gravitational pull, and fell to the surface like asteroids. Most, though, struck each other or the Citadel, forming a perilous ring of debris around humanity's homeworld.

The damage to the Citadel was extensive - the already-weakened mass effect fields providing gravity and air pressurization to the wards was quickly compromised, depressurizing whatever unfortunate inhabitants had escaped harvesting, and adding their bodies and possessions to the debris field. The cooperation of the counsel races was as strong as ever, though, and with everyone working together, the Presidium was inhabitable again in less than 2 years, followed by the wards a few years reopening of the Citadel was celebrated by an entire week's worth of festivals on Earth, culminating in the establishment of a new counsel, which now included both Quarian and Krogan embassies.

The Charon Relay was a more difficult venture - the scale of the components being built and the scarcity of refined materials after the war made it a slow, laborious project. The intervening years, though, produced a promising - if sometimes tenuous - societal development. With their own population severely depleted, the humans of Earth welcomed stranded soldiers from all species to their homeworld, offering them citizenship into what quickly became the galaxy's most diverse terrestrial world. This new society offered new opportunities, and one by one, our friends from the _Normandy_ moved on into their next chapters.

Garrus and Tali were married within a year after the war. Once the Citadel was reopened, he was appointed as C-sec's new Executor, while Tali oversaw the reconstruction of Zakera Ward, and gave support to the newly formed Quarian embassy. "Uncle Garrus & Aunt Tali" visited us often, shared holidays, and bought the girls more presents than our home could handle.

Ashley was promoted to the rank of admiral, and given direction over the reconstructed Alliance 3rd fleet, including warships from the remains of the Volus and Hanar militaries. She was deployed on a multi-year assignment to patrol and protect the scattered - and vulnerable - colonies of Earth Alliance space, while the relays were being repaired.

Javik - unable to travel to find the graves of his Prothean crew - turned his attention instead to preserving and increasing the historical records of his culture - with my help, of course. We assembled a team of historians, and initiated a long-term project to preserve the stories and lessons of the Reaper War.

Shepard was a universally-regarded hero after the war, and was sought after by many factions. After much deliberation, he accepted a post as an Alliance admiral, overseeing the rebuilding of the N7 and Council Spectre programs, with James and his surgically-repaired arm as a key contributor to each. It suited him well, but the demands on his time gradually became too high for a father, which brought him to that porch swing conversation with little Eden.

9 years after the Reaper War, we accepted an invitation to move our family to Thessia. Shepard would serve as the Earth Alliance ambassador at the Thessian embassy, while I would become the curator at the most well-funded and respected museum of history in the galaxy, in the heart of the Asari capital. It was a dream job - and a much more family friendly scenario for us. Of course, it meant leaving the only home our girls had ever known, which necessitated a good deal of conversation. In the last few months before the move, Shepard and Eden could often be found swinging on the porch of our Vancouver home, chatting about what had been, and what would be.

"You've been to Thessia before, right, Daddy?" She asked one evening in her song-like voice. I took a break from packing boxes and feeding Anisia, and slid the window up ever-so-slightly so I could listen in. "Mother has told me all about what she remembers."

"Well, I did visit once," he replied thoughtfully, "but that was during the war. You know, I'm actually looking forward to exploring it, too."

"I can't wait!" She exclaimed gleefully, with an expression that mirrored more of her father's face than I thought possible. "Do you think we'll live next to mountains like we do here?"

"I think we'll live wherever we want to," he replied, pulling her head into his chest and stroking it lovingly.

"How many more days until the relay opens?"

"We've got two more months, honey," he replied patiently.

"Ugh! That's _forever_ ," she sighed. The girls had never left the planet, and Eden was dying to experience space travel.

"It'll be here before you know it," he reassured her. "But for now, let's just enjoy the mountains _here_."

I couldn't have agreed more. We had been through enough change and excitement to last a lifetime. I picked up Anisia and we joined Shepard and Eden on the swing. After everything we'd seen and done, I could think of nothing more appealing in all the galaxy than sitting next the the ones I loved. Shepard placed his arm around me, and we watched the fading light over the mountains give way to a starry sky. I closed my eyes and inhaled slowly, releasing my breath with a smile.

"Shepard?" I said, wistfully.

"Yeah?"

"This is perfect."

"You're right," he replied, pulling me in closer with a contented sigh. "This… is perfect."


	9. APPENDIX - Literal Theory (Scene 6 ALT)

**SCENE 6 - Homecoming**

The remainder of our journey left me an anxious, nervous mess. The QEC message never updated again, leaving us very much in the dark about the state of affairs we were returning to. Even within the Sol System, we got no response from anyone. The density of the debris field around Earth, coupled with the lingering affects of the pulse from the Crucible, had disabled all but the most rudimentary terrestrial communications. We were only able to establish contact with Alliance command after entering Earth's atmosphere.

Less than an hour later, I was "walking" as quickly as possible down the sunlit hallways of the compound. The well-meaning guard at the entrance tried to corral me with the rest of the crew, but I pushed through, leaving him to manage the others. I had traveled too far, and waited too long to let anything slow me down.

Room after room, I wound deeper into the sprawling system of brick passages, growing more anxious and frustrated with each wrong turn. I was about to retrace my steps and ask for directions, when I rounded one last corner, and the world stood still. There, at the end of the hall, was his unmistakable figure - a sight I'd dreamed of, but never expected to see again. It was Shepard.

"Liara?" His baritone voice rang out in disbelief, echoing through the hallway. It was really him. I actually hesitated for a second, my body in shock at the emotional weight of the moment.

"Shepard!" I cried out breathlessly. He limped forward, leaning on a cane for support. My body finally engaged, and I took off in a dead run, closing the distance between us in an instant. I met him with force, and sunk immediately into his arms, tears flowing in streaks of joy down my face. He pulled back after a moment, cupping my face in his hands as eyes studied me intensely. I had no words. There were none.

"I thought…" he started, his face still colored by surprise. His thumb traced the curve of my cheekbone, wiping a tear aside as I smiled uncontrollably. "I thought you were dead!" He pulled me firmly back to his chest, my head just under his neck. I had forgotten how perfectly I fit in his arms. "When the fleet lost contact with the _Normandy_ , and we got reports about the Geth…"

"I'm here," I interrupted softly, listening to his heartbeat. "I'm yours."

After a lingering moment of silence and tears, he pulled back again.

"Garrus? Tali?"

"They're fine," I replied with a sniffle, wiping my eyes again. "Ashley, James, Joker… we're all here."

"EDI?" His eyebrows pulled together in concern. I shook my head, trying to force a pained smile. He gaze fell with a dejected exhalation.

"But we're all here," I encouraged him, lifting his chin up to look directly into his eyes. "You saved us. You saved everyone."

"Not everyone…"

"There's a crowd of people just outside who feel differently," I said, wrapping my arms back around his muscular waist. "I'm sure they'd all love to see you… but I don't think I'm quite ready to share you yet."

"Well, I'm not ready to let go of you yet," he countered sweetly. "But… we might need to sit soon."

"Of course!" I replied, suddenly remembering the cane I first saw him with - which was now on the floor. "Oh, Shepard… how thoughtless of me. You're hurt. How bad is it?"

"It's probably good you didn't see me a month ago," he said with a grimace, as I helped him to a leather-bound bench down the hall. He let out a sigh of relief when he sat down. "Doctor says the pain should ease up in another month or two. I'm doing stretches to get some mobility back… but I won't be winning any races from here on out."

My countenance dropped. All this time, I had been so concerned with him living or dying, I hadn't given much consideration to his potential injuries.

"But what about you?" He continued. "When I left you with the _Normandy_ …"

"I'm fine now. But you were right to send me back. I nearly died. This pulse of energy knocked out virtually all our systems… Doctor Chakwas had to stitch me up by hand."

"The kill code," he said gravely, dipping his head. "EDI… she's gone. I had to come clean about her to the Alliance. The rest of the fleet was mostly ok, but when they you all went missing… That code didn't just kill the reapers. It killed every form of synthetic life." The remorse in his voice was heavy.

"The Geth?" I replied, suddenly grieved as I thought of Legion, and how loyal all those Geth Primes had been fighting alongside us.

"All of them," he said solemnly, his lowered head in his hands.

I stroked his back supportively. His body language gave me the impression that he was responsible for their fate - or at least, he believed he was.

"What happened?" I asked.

He recounted the dash to the collection beam, drawing within a hundred meters, Harbinger's particle beam… and then he paused and sighed.

"What?" I asked inquisitively.

"From there on out, everything's a little hazy. I was concussed, delirious… and on the verge of bleeding out." I tried not to imagine him in such a state, but my mind painted the mental image. He lifted his shirt to show a large scar just below his ribcage. "Another half an inch, and I wouldn't be sitting here today."

I shuddered.

"Well, hazy or not, I want to know everything you remember."

He told me of how he picked himself up after Harbinger's near miss, limping to the beam, catching up with Anderson, and facing the Illusive Man. He recounted opening the Citadel's arms, being lifted on a glowing platform to the connection point of the crucible, conversing with the Catalyst in the form of a child, and choosing to destroy the Reapers, along with all other synthetic life.

"Wait a minute," I responded, trying to get the whole picture. "You _shot_ Anderson?"

"It was the Illusive man," he said, his voice shaded with both anger and sorrow. "I fought his control, but by the time I broke loose…"

"It was too late," I interjected. "Shepard, it's not your fault. I can't believe he even made it that far. They said no one survived the push to the beam - how did the two of you…"

"All hell was breaking loose out there. I don't blame Coats for missing it. Anderson hit the beam not long after I did. I must've blacked out during the process - only came to when he radioed me."

"But there were no defenses inside? Other than the Illusive Man?" It seemed incomprehensible to me for such an intelligent adversary to have left the Citadel's arm control unprotected.

"We always knew there were inaccessible areas on the Citadel - I just never imagined they were for harvesting. The Reapers never thought any of us would be crazy enough to try something as reckless as that assault. By the time they figured it out, it was too late for them to stop it."

"Good thing for us hubris isn't exclusive to organics," I replied. "Alright, next question - that chamber where you spoke with the A.I…"

"It was part of the Crucible - or, more specifically, where the Crucible and the Catalyst met. Docking the Crucible must have activated that platform that carried me up."

"Which is where you shot the power conduit and overloaded the system, and then the explosion…"

"Yeah."

"Shepard, how did you survive?"

"The keepers."

"What?"

"The platform lowered once the system started to overload. That's the last thing I remember for… I don't know how long. When I woke up, they were working on me - sealing my wounds, keeping me alive."

"By the goddess…"

"They're, engineered to fix the Citadel. Must've thought I was part of it."

"Or they began to act of their own free will once the A.I. was destroyed. Either way, I'm grateful."

"As soon as the Alliance confirmed the Reapers were dead, they sent transports to the Citadel to look for survivors. My radio comm was broken. It was two days before they found me." He shook his head, staring at the floor. "The damage to the Citadel was… no one survived."

" _Earth_ survived," I said, leaning down to try and make eye contact with him. "I survived. Your crew survived. That's more than enough."

"The crew!" He replied suddenly. "I should see them."

"You should," I agreed, bringing my forehead to meet his. "But not before you kiss me."

"I believe I can do that."

Our lips met for the first time in what felt like forever. It was warm. It was sweet. It was home.


End file.
